“Good work.”
“O… ou.”
The sudden words of appreciation made me unintentionally choke up.
Well, of course. I usually wouldn’t expect to hear such words from her.
Don't tell me she's plotting something.
…No, not with her personality.
Kuonji looked at me from head to toe and let out a sigh, as if venting something that had been building up.
Ah, wait, that’s not it. She looks exasperated.
“It’s this chilly out, and you poured water over your head?”
“I was hot from moving around.”
“…You’re actually that good at sports, huh. I didn’t know.”
“Well, most sports. As long as I understand how to move my body, I don’t really make mistakes.”
“Is that a sarcastic remark aimed at me?”
“No, no.”
Well, I didn’t expect Kuonji to be *that* bad at sports, though.
“…Wait here.”
“Eh? O-Oi!”
She walked quickly into the gymnasium and returned immediately.
Clutched in her hand was a pink face towel. It was probably Kuonji’s personal property. I think I saw her holding it earlier.
Kuonji stopped a little ways in front of me and thrust the towel toward me as if she had made up her mind.
“U-Use this.”
“…Why?”
“What do you mean why… you’re soaking wet. You’ll catch a cold like this.”
Hey now, don’t look at me with those ‘Are you stupid? Do you want to die?’ eyes.
“No, I’m fine. Ryuya will probably be here soon anyway.”
“Do you have proof?”
“…I don’t, but…”
“Then use it.”
“It’s fine, I don’t need it.”
I mean, that’s Kuonji’s towel, right? Which means Kuonji’s scent is all over it, right?
Imagine having my head wrapped in something like that.
Without a doubt, I’d go crazy from happiness.
Recalling the scent I smelled when I went to Kuonji’s room before, my cheeks grew hot. To prevent her from noticing, I turned my face away.
“…As I thought, you don’t want… mine, do you?”
“Eh?”
A gloomy voice reached my ears. The source of the voice was, naturally, Kuonji.
Looking at her… ah, crap. She’s depressed. Or rather, she looks like she’s about to cry.
“N-No, that’s not it…!”
“Nn-nn, it’s fine. I mean, you wouldn’t want to use a towel from an uncute girl like me. Sorry, forget it.”
“Kuonji!”
She forced her tearful face into a smile and turned her back to me. Wait, eh, is she leaving?! In this weird atmosphere?!
“Kuonji!”
“…………”
Stop for a second!
Damn it, if I let her go like this, she’s definitely going to cry! And imagine if she cries in the classroom. If they find out I’m the culprit, Ryuguuin will scold me, and Ryuya and Neika will tease me.
And above all else.
——I don’t want to see her crying face!
“Riran!”
“————ah.”
I grabbed her hand. Unintentionally, reflexively. So she wouldn’t run away. So I wouldn’t let her go.
Body heat and the existence of Kuonji Riran were transmitted through my hand. It was faintly warm. This was the first time I felt her body temperature so clearly.
I was overcome with the urge to let go and run away right now. Shame and excitement were intermingled.
But… more than that, I wanted to stay in contact even longer.
Having stopped in her tracks, Kuonji slowly looked back. Her eyes were wide, her mouth was trembling open. Not just her ears and cheeks, but from her neck down, she was gradually turning red.
“A… no… euu…”
“Please, listen to me.”
“U… uun…”
When I let go of her hand, Kuonji clasped her hands in front of her chest and shrank back slightly. Like a child caught playing a prank, she stared up at me with moist eyes.
Ku… cute…!
C-Calm down, me. First, take a deep breath and settle your heart.
“…When I said I didn’t want to use your towel earlier, it’s, well…”
“…Because… you hate me…?”
“No!”
Guuuu…! Ah, geez!
“W-Well… if I wipe my head with that towel, it’ll smell like you… and I won’t be able to stay calm…”
“Eh… that means…!”
“D-Don’t make me say everything, you idiot.”
Damn, this is embarrassing. I’m definitely bright red right now. I averted my eyes from Kuonji.
However, from the corner of my eye, I saw Kuonji grinning.
“Heh~, hooo~, heh~.”
“Stop it, you’re annoying.”
“I see, I see. So you’re embarrassed, heh~~~~.”
That’s why I didn’t want to say it…!
Kuonji approached with the towel in one hand and pinched my gym clothes.
“W-What is it?”
“Crouch down. Get at waist-height.”
“Eh?”
“Just do it.”
“…Ou.”
I crouched as I was told. Softly—.
Eh… is this… the towel?
“Cho…!”
“Don’t move. I’m wiping it for you.”
“I-It’s embarrassing, though…”
“It’s fine. No one is looking.”
“Kuonji is looking, though.”
“Mu.”
Kuonji let out a slightly displeased sound. Through the towel, she grabbed my head from both sides and pulled my face up.
“Riran.”
“…Eh?”
“Call me by my name. You called me that just now, didn’t you?”
“T-That was in the heat of the moment…!”
“You won’t call me that?”
Wait, her face is close…! T-This is… ah, I can’t escape, huh…
“…Riran…”
“! …Fu, fufu. Fufufufufu.”
“Wa, bu?! That’s too rough!”
Don’t scrub me like that! Am I a dog?!
“Fufu. That’s right, I’m Riran. Because I’m Riran.”
“What are you saying at this point? Are you okay?”
“From now on, when you call me, make sure you say Riran. Got it?”
“Do I have a right to refuse?”
“Ha?”
“I’m sorry.”
So don’t look at me with such scary eyes. Kuonji… Riran moved away from me and turned around with a spin.
“Wash that towel before you return it.”
“…Well, I planned to do that… I get it.”
“Very good. See ya.”
With that, she took a step toward the gymnasium. Then she turned back toward me again.
“That’s right. I’ll call you by your name from now on, too.”
“…My name?”
“Yeah, your name.”
Riran showed a smile that reminded me of a large flower blooming, more so than anything I had ever seen before.
“See you later, Akito!”
————!
Riran walked into the gymnasium. Left behind was only me, whose brain couldn’t keep up with the processing.
“…What was that…”
…Unfair.